Homecoming
by Red Witch
Summary: Part III of Three in the Eliza's Return Series. Eliza Foxx finally awakens to a new world but there are also new challenges ahead.


**The disclaimer saying that I don't own any Galaxy Rangers characters has gone to the hospital for exhaustion. This is the third part in Eliza's Return series. Now things are really going to get interesting for the Rangers. **

**Homecoming**

Cold.

Emptiness.

Trapped in a large dark void.

Eliza had been in the darkness so long she had almost forgotten what light was like.

She could get glimpses now and then what was happening outside, but she was unable to do anything. And more often than not her mind drifted into forgetfulness in order to escape the pain of her existence.

All she could do was dream and hope.

Then suddenly she felt something. Something different this time.

Somehow she knew her husband was near. He was in trouble.

A strange force seemed to be surrounding her. It gave her strength. And it made her remember. She had a life. She had a husband and children who needed her.

And the Queen of the Crown had taken her away from them.

She had enslaved her.

She had taken everything from her.

Everything except her hope and her love.

With a strength she never knew Eliza forced her consciousness free. Forced herself to give her energy and strength to her husband and his friends. She stood beside Zachery, giving him what he needed to turn back the power of Mind Net.

Then there was a powerful backlash and darkness claimed her again.

For a while she thought that she had failed. That she was still a prisoner and her husband was lost. Then she felt something.

It was a slight tug at first. And then it changed into a stronger pull. She found herself being pulled rapidly towards a bright light.

It was like she was falling and landed on something very soft but very fast. She gasped for breath and opened her eyes to the brightness around her.

Then she realized that she had opened her actual eyes. She was lying on a hospital bed somewhere. And she wasn't alone anymore.

"Zachery…" Eliza gasped as her eyes fluttered.

Her husband was there, a hopeful yet frightened look on his face. "Eliza?"

"Zachery? Is that you? Is that really you?" Eliza reached out to him.

"Eliza…" Zach whispered as he clung to her. "I missed you so much."

"Zachery…" Eliza clung to him tightly. "Oh my darling…"

She held him as he broke down sobbing in her arms. The ache of their separation had been a horrible burden to bear but deep down she knew it had been harder on her husband. "It's all right my love…" She whispered tenderly. "I'm here. I'm here and I won't ever leave you again. I promise."

"It's been so long since I held you…" Zach sobbed. "So long since I heard your voice except in my dreams…There were nights when I thought I would go insane…"

"It's all right Zachery," Eliza looked in his tear stained eyes. "It's over now. I'm home. We're together. Nothing can destroy our love. Not even the Queen of the Crown. Everything will be fine now. Just like it was before."

"Not like before. A lot has happened since you…Since you went away," Zach looked down. "Things have changed. I've changed."

Zach reluctantly looked at his arm as if he was afraid of it. "Is it about your arm?" Eliza asked. A flash of memory surged through her mind. "Your arm…It's bionic now isn't it?"

"Not just my arm," Zach said. "My leg and half of my body is machine now…I'm not…Whole anymore. I'm not…what I was."

"Zachery you are still the warm caring man I fell in love with," Eliza told him. "Bionics or not that hasn't changed. I can see it in your eyes."

"It's still all my fault that this happened," Zach said softly.

"No it's **not,**" Eliza said. "And you know it. You saved our children and countless others. That's what's important. I remember things…It's kind of fuzzy but I do know you fought hard to free me and saved many other lives."

"I kept failing you…" Zach said bitterly. "Time after time I tried to free you but…"

"Zachery, I don't blame **you!** Get that through your thick head," Eliza snapped. "We're together now. That's all that matters."

"I missed you so much," Zach said softly.

"I missed you too," Eliza said. "Zachery, even though I was trapped in darkness, not once did I ever give up believing that you would save me. And you have. I never gave up on you, don't **ever** give up on yourself."

"Eliza…" Zach kissed her passionately. She returned the kiss.

"Welcome back Mrs. Foxx," A kind faced doctor smiled. "I'm Doctor Benning. You gave us quite a scare for a moment."

"I was scared for a long time. But I'm all right now. I still feel a little weak," She admitted.

"That's to be expected," Dr. Benning said. "Prolonged stasis can sometimes make a person a bit weak for the first few days. But you should recover quickly."

"Stasis?" Eliza asked.

"It was the only way to save your body," Dr. Benning explained. "Your children are waiting for you. Would you like to see them?"

"Yes, very much," Eliza nodded.

"You can come in now," The doctor called out. The two children walked in. Eliza was stunned. Her children were taller, more grown up than she left them.

"You…" Eliza was stunned. "You've both grown…"

"Yeah I guess we have…" Zach Jr. said sheepishly.

"How long was I away?" Eliza asked.

"Two years and ten months," Zach Jr. told her.

"Oh Mom it felt like **forever!**" Jessica wailed as she hugged her mother tightly.

"Nearly three years…" Eliza was stunned. Nearly three years of her life had been taken away from her. She pulled her children close to her. "Oh my poor babies…"

She didn't care any more. To see and touch her children was something she had dreamed for so long had finally come true. They held each other for a while, everyone crying, unable to stop.

"Zachery, can I…Can I be alone with my children for a little while?" Eliza whispered.

"Of course," Zach smiled and kissed her forehead. He and the doctor left the room.

"Thank you Doctor," Zach said as they went outside.

"No need, she recovered very well," The Doctor smiled warmly. "I'd like her to remain overnight just to run some tests and make sure everything is fine."

Zach nodded his consent. The doctor left. Zach tried to will his tears to stop but couldn't.

"It's over," Zach leaned against the wall and whispered to himself. "It's finally over."

"YOUR FATHER GOT YOU **EXPELLED?"** Eliza yelled loudly. "ZACHERY!"

"Uh oh…" Zach blanched. Something told him he had better get back inside, which he did.

Eliza was not a happy woman.

Which meant Zach's **real** nightmare had only just begun.

"Let's see if I get this straight…" Eliza gave him a look after more explanations were made. "While I was gone not only were my children running around outer space getting into dangerous situations with wanted criminals, you got my son **expelled** from school?"

"Uh…" Zach gulped. "I know it sounds bad when you put it like that…"

"Bad? Zachery losing your car keys is bad," Eliza gave him a look. "This is a disaster!"

"Eliza it was an accident I swear!" Zach protested.

"Mom please don't fight with Dad," Jessica pleaded. "It wasn't all his fault."

"Thanks a **lot,** Jessica," Zach rolled his eyes.

"We shouldn't be fighting now. The important thing is that we're all together again," Zach Jr. said.

"Not all of us," Zach remembered. His face fell.

"Zachery? What is it?" Eliza asked.

"It's Goose isn't it?" Zach Jr. realized. "He didn't wake up yet."

"Goose? Wait now I remember…" Eliza put her hand to her head. "I remember images…He's one of your team mates isn't he? He risked his life to save us."

"And because of that he might be…" Zach fumed. "I don't even know how he did it but…"

"What are you talking about?" Eliza asked.

"It's a long story," Zach sighed. "I guess I might as well tell you everything. You see Shane Gooseman isn't exactly your average Galaxy Ranger. He's a Supertrooper."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Even though Eliza felt better the doctors still insisted that she stay in the hospital overnight. She was visited by Waldo and Zozo and met Commander Walsh. Zachery refused to leave her side. She noticed no one dared to contradict him. She learned that apparently her husband had something of a reputation now as a man who didn't take no for an answer and wasn't above using his bionics to get his way.

Truthfully Eliza was grateful that he wouldn't leave. They talked into the night and Zach managed to find enough room on her bed so that she could sleep in his arms. It all felt so warm, so comforting to be together again. Just holding each other seemed to banish all the darkness they had suffered through.

The next morning Eliza was discharged. But before Eliza was to go back home and see her children waiting at the apartment, her husband insisted that he meet some very close friends of his.

"I think I know who you want me to see," Eliza smiled. "And I really want to meet them."

"When you were…away," Zach sighed. "My team and I became very close. They were the only ones who kept me sane during the whole ordeal. Pulled my rear out of a lot of messes and a lot of nights of self pity. I don't know what I would have done without them."

"Doc, Goose and Niko are very special people," Eliza said. A flood of memories assaulted her. Then they went away.

"Eliza?" Zach noticed. "Are you all right?"

"It's nothing," Eliza shook her head. "Let's go meet your friends."

Outside a waiting room were two people in ranger uniforms. "Eliza…" Niko stood up.

"You're Niko aren't you?" Eliza recognized the auburn haired woman. "And you're Doc. Or do you prefer Walter?"

"Doc is just fine," Doc smiled as he made a polite bow. "It's good to finally meet you Mrs. Foxx."

"Call me Eliza. It's all so strange…" Eliza said. "I mean I just met all of you but I feel like…I feel like I **know** you."

"It might be the effect of the psychic link we had as we fought the Queen," Niko explained.

"That would explain the rush of memories I just had," Eliza said honestly. "I…Where's Shane Gooseman? How is he?"

"Still unconscious," Niko's face fell.

"No change at all?" Commander Walsh walked in with Zozo and Waldo.

"Still nothing," Niko sighed. "The doctors said…"

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU CRAZY BIRD!" Someone shouted.

"That came from Goose's room!" Zozo pricked up his ears. They all rushed to his room.

"AAHHH!" Senator Wheiner screamed as he was repeatedly rapped on the head by a strange looking bird in a purple lab coat.

"You're not gonna hurt **my** Goose as long as I've got a beak!" The funny looking bird snapped, hovering protectively over Shane's unconscious body. "So buzz off Buzzard Breath!"

"What the hell are **you** doing here Wheiner?" Commander Walsh barked as he stormed into the room.

"Assessing the damage," Wheiner snarled. "I wanted to see if the Supertrooper was worth saving. If he can't be salvaged…"

"You're not laying a **hand** on him if I can help it," Zach snarled. "Ranger Gooseman is a hero! And if you think anyone is just gonna let you dissect him like some kind of science project you are sadly mistaken!"

"You'd better watch your step, Captain Foxx or else…" Wheiner was interrupted by Walsh grabbing him by the collar.

"I don't care if I have to watch over Gooseman **myself** every night if I have to," Walsh snarled fiercely as he shoved Wheiner. "You're not getting your slimy hands on him! If I were you Wheiner I'd leave while I still could! Or else **you'll** be the one in a coma!"

Wheiner looked at the angry faces before him and croaked, "You haven't heard the last from me about this Walsh! I still have some influence on the Board of Leaders!"

"Don't delude yourself," Doc glared at him. "I have a feeling that a few others on the Board will be more than happy to override **your** decision on this."

"They already have," A dark haired, tanned military officer walked in with a cocky stance. "Well Wheiner why am I not surprised to see **you **here? Then again the only way you could handle Gooseman is when he's unconscious. And I'm not even sure about **that!"**

"Commander Cain," Wheiner hissed.

"Very good Wheiner," Cain mocked him. "Now tell me who **that** is?" He pointed to Eliza. "Don't know? Let me tell you then. That's Eliza Foxx, the woman you once threatened to pull the plug while she was in stasis?"

This shocked Eliza to the core. "What?"

"Yes he tried to blackmail your husband a few times using that pathetic threat," Cain smiled sweetly. "Of course thanks to Ranger Gooseman he can't do that any more. That's another thing you hate him for isn't it? Trying to get some kind of pathetic revenge?"

"This…This is getting off the subject here!" Wheiner stammered. "We're talking about Gooseman's seemingly new abilities and the threat they may…"

"Oh yes the ability to **cure** people of deadly diseases," Waldo interrupted. "How **horrible.** Who knows **what **would happen if Gooseman was allowed to roam free?"

"The tissue companies would become bankrupt if the Goose eliminates the common cold," Doc mocked.

"I must admit this new ability of Gooseman's is very intriguing," Cain said. "But if you think the Board is going to let the fool who screwed up the Supertrooper Program the **first time** to handle this then you are surely mistaken! So run along Wheiner. I think there's a shopping mall that needs a ribbon cutting or something."

Wheiner shot them a dirty look before he left. "I'd say Thank You Cain if I didn't know you had an ulterior motive," Walsh growled. "You want to take Gooseman for yourself while he's helpless!"

"Please Walsh," Cain huffed. "We all know that it would take more than a mere coma to keep that man down. He'll wake up sooner or later and **then** we can figure out if this healing thing was a fluke or not. Besides we've already got the blood work of his to study. I hear the lab is already finding some interesting facts."

"Such as?" Niko asked.

"Let's just say I'd rather wait until the report is finished before I let you read it," Cain smiled. "However it is very clear that Ranger Gooseman has become far too valuable to simply ship off for stuffy nosed science geeks to study. No, Ranger Gooseman has become very valuable to BETA indeed."

"Shane is not a piece of property for you to…" Niko fumed.

"There are a lot of Board Members who would disagree with you on that," Cain interrupted. "Fortunately they also agree with me that Ranger Gooseman is best left in the protective custody of Walsh and BETA. So I'll leave the man in your capable hands…For now."

Cain smirked and walked away. "Why that self absorbed…" Walsh clenched his fists.

"He's not going to get Goose," Doc put his hand on the Commander's shoulder. "Not if we can help it."

"Not until we do all the dirty work for him," Walsh said bitterly.

"We're not going to let anyone exploit Shane," Niko snapped. "We won't let it happen."

"All Goose has to do is wake up," Doc said softly. "Niko have you…?"

"I've tried contacting him," Niko sighed. "But he's so tired and weak. The whole ordeal took so much out of him. What I could get…He's trying to get his strength and will to live back. I can feel it."

"The Queen really did a number on him with Mindnet," Zach sighed. "Even if he does wake up it could be a long time before Goose is back to normal again. If ever."

Eliza looked at Shane. In her memories she saw a rakish young man with wavy blonde hair and a twinkle in his green eyes. He was so strong, so confident. So sure of himself.

And now…He was lying on that hospital bed. So pale. So helpless.

"Goose, wake up Goose…" Bubblehead pleaded. It broke Eliza's heart seeing the little bird trying to nudge him awake with his wing.

"Goose will be fine," Walsh said with a hard look in his eyes. "He's strong. His bio defenses can handle anything."

"It's not his bio-defenses I'm worried about," Niko sighed. "They can't heal the damage done to his mind."

"Physically there is no damage to the brain," Walsh said. Then he softened. "He's going to be fine. Gooseman has been in worse situations than this and he'll pull through. I know him too well to doubt that."

Zach let out a breath and indicated he wanted to talk to Eliza outside. "Eliza…I need to ask you something…" Zach croaked. "I know this is going to be a lot to ask for considering all you've been through. But Goose needs us. If he…I mean **when** he wakes up, he won't feel safe if he's left in the infirmary and…"

"That's why he needs to be with his family," Eliza smiled as she took his arm. "Of course he can stay with us until he recovers. He's done so much for us, it's the least we can do."

"Thank you," Zach let out a breath as he held her hand. "Eliza, Shane's become like a brother to me. I can't even **count **how many times he put himself in danger to save my life or…"

"He means a lot to you and your team mates," Eliza stopped him with a kiss. "I think he'll appreciate that."

"I just want him back…" Zach sighed. "He shouldn't have had to sacrifice himself for us."

"He will come back," Eliza thought. "Don't ask me why but I have a feeling Goose will wake up soon. Right now, we just have to hope for the best."

"Cain was right about one thing," Zach nodded. "It will take more than a coma to get the Goose down. He's strong enough to face anything. We just have to be patient and wait for him to return."

"And while we are waiting, we can have a nice long talk about you endangering our children and getting our son expelled," Eliza said in a cheerful voice. "And how we are going to **correct **this situation."

"Oh boy…" Zach groaned. "I wonder if Goose needs any company?"


End file.
